4:12 PM,
Jun. 24, 2013
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Gina Nicolosi / Michelle Inclema

Written by

Michelle Inclema

When Gina Nicolosi was downsized after 20 years in the corporate world, she decided to invest her retirement money in a new dream.

Nicolosi, 53, is the founder of CrossFit Fairport, a training facility that offers classes in a popular, high intensity workout that focuses on building strength.

“It was definitely a risk to start my own business,” says Nicolosi, whose professional background includes corporate training and project management at Xerox. After losing her job, she started out by looking for more work in her field, but wasn’t having any luck.

“I saw there was a market demand for fitness,” says Nicolosi, who started teaching CrossFit out of her garage while still employed at Xerox. She opened CrossFit Fairport in late 2011, and teaches classes in the morning, afternoon and early evening 7 days a week.

Nicolosi discovered the CrossFit program six years ago when she was looking for a new fitness routine. The hour-long workout involves a series of constantly varied movements, including a warm-up, weightlifting, jump rope and running.

“As a working mom, I didn’t have time to spend hours at the gym,” she says. Soon after, she became certified as a CrossFit Level 1 Instructor and started filling in at the local gym and seeing clients in her home.

“There are many things I learned along the way about running a business,” she says. “Sometimes, you have to do something for nothing. I feel it’s important for people who are going through difficult times in their life to stay fit.”

As part of this belief, Nicolosi has donated free memberships to area nonprofits, such as the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester and the Pancreatic Cancer Association of Western New York. She also volunteered to teach a fitness/nutrition class to fifth grade students in the Rochester City School District.

“Nobody wants fitness to be a chore,” she says. “It’s important to do something for yourself and keep moving.”

Personal: Age 53, of Penfield, mother of four

Occupation: Owner, CrossFit Fairport

Community activities: Annual participant in Pink Ribbon Run and Walk for the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester (BCCR) and past volunteer for the BCCR. Volunteer fitness/nutrition teacher for School 36 and School 39. I have also supported various nonprofits and events with donations from my business.

My favorite thing to do in Rochester: I enjoy lots of different activities, but definitely like to take advantage of the warm weather when it arrives and go hiking, (and sometimes jogging) along the canal or at area parks, like Mendon Ponds.

Biggest challenge I’ve overcome and how I did it: Life after Xerox. I spent a good portion of my adult life working at Xerox and who I was become wrapped up in the job that I performed. When I was impacted by downsizing, it was difficult not to take it personally. This is when I decided to start my business and open CrossFit Fairport. I wanted to do something that I enjoyed, and bring that to other people. I did some research and started out small. My members are the priority and I didn’t want to grow so fast that I couldn’t maintain a strong connection to them.

One thing I’ve always wanted to do but never have: Complete a triathlon. The swim intimidates me!

If I could change one thing about myself it would be: I’m a terrible procrastinator. Once I set my mind to do something I do it 100%, but sometimes it takes me too long to get started!

The talent I would most like to have: Strength! I like to do the Olympic lifts and wish I had found that sport sooner. I wish I had more natural strength to build upon.

The one thing I can’t live without: Coffee!

My favorite movie: Remember the Titans.

One of my favorite sayings is: The key to success is for you to make a habit throughout your life of doing the things that you fear. -Vincent Van Gogh

A person who has inspired me (and why): My mom. She raised eight children as a single mom and sometimes worked several jobs to make ends meet. She was such a hard worker and always so well organized.

So many of the people at my gym inspire me as well – young people who give up parties at night so they can get to the gym early, the moms and dads who find time in their busy day to work on their fitness, and my friend Mary Connolly, who has been with me since the beginning of this endeavor putting in so many hours at the gym outside of her full time job.